Unborn Journey
by AquaTitaniaMiyuki
Summary: What if Sora, Riku and Kairi were able to leave the island? *BONUS: "I feel like I'm supposed to be helping someone." Two-shot.
1. Chapter 1

**Kinda trippy. I'm not exactly sure where I was going with this.**

**Summary: What if Sora, Riku and Kairi were able to leave the island? One-shot. **

* * *

_**Unborn Journey**_

* * *

Kairi neatly stuffed all the supplies in several different plastic bags, sorting them so that they would be easy to find and wouldn't take up too much space, and sighed in delight of her finished tasks. Sitting beside the supplies, she reached into her pocket, taking out a pink star-shaped trinket. She smiled down at the little object, before looking out at the vast ocean.

_They had finally set sail._

"Hey Sora, why don't you get off your butt and help out?" Riku snidely told his friend, "I'm navigating and Kairi's already sorted our supplies. You go make sure that the raft is still intact."

"Of course it is, Riku." Sora declared, but still went to check anyway. He got on his stomach to inspect every board of wood, which made Kairi giggle a little. After thoroughly searching for any mistakes, Sora grinned to himself.

"See, Riku? Everything's in tip-top shape."

The female of the trio nodded "You did a great job building it."

The brunette pouted, "What about me? I helped."

Kairi giggled again, "You did a great job too, Sora."

Riku snorted, sitting down to relax against the mast.

Ten minutes later, the brunette feels a drop of water and looks up at the sky-once blue, now gray, "Riku, a storm's coming."

"I know. The waves are getting steep." the silver-haired gets up, sighing.

"What? But I checked the weather today," Kairi responded, clearly worried, "It's supposed to be clear skies for the next two days!"

"Sure doesn't look like it..." Sora says, brushing his bangs out of his eyes, and letting them blow in the wind.

"I'll furl the sail." Riku announces quickly, grabbing hold of a rope.

_**CRACK!**_

A strong gust of wind breaks the mast, throwing it off. Sora and Kairi shriek and brace themselves as a second blast of wind blows straight at them.

Sora is first to open his eyes, as he takes a look around, only to see Riku far in the water, holding onto the broken mast.

"Riku!"

"I'm fine!" he shouts back.

"Hold on!" the brunette reaches into the water and paddles, attempting to push them towards his friend, "We're coming!"

Kairi bites her lip in anxiety before joining Sora. From his spot, Riku starts paddling with his feet, using the mast as a support.

By now, it's raining hard, and the waves start to roll higher and higher by the second.

Another wave hits the raft, causing Kairi to lose her balance.

"Ah!" she exclaims, waving her arms around as she tips forward off the edge of the wood.

"Whoa!" Sora steadies her, "Careful, Kairi."

She nods in appreciation before turning back to look at her other friend. "We're almost there, Riku!"

Riku looks up from paddling, his eyes widening. "Guys! There's a-"

He gets cut off by a sudden splash in his face, before coming back up, coughing.

"What?!" Sora shouts, putting a hand to his ear and trying to hear over the roars of the wind and ocean.

"Behind you! A giant wave!"

Both heads whip around to see the mentioned kahuna.

A million phrases (not all of them very appropriate) flash through Sora's mind, but all he does is stare in silent fear. He hears a high-pitched scream while Kairi grabs his torso, pulling them together as the giant wave swallows them.

Sora keeps his eyes shut, even when they surface. Seconds pass by before he uses the last of his courage to open his sapphire eyes to examine the situation. Without even looking, he knows Kairi's arms are wrapped around his neck tightly, shivering from both fear and the cold gales. The soaked brunette glances in every direction fearfully.

Riku is nowhere to be found.

"Riku?!" he screams, swallowing salt water before coughing it back out. _"Riku?! __**RIKU!**__"_

"It's no use..." Kairi heaves, "R-Riku is-"

Another wave falls onto the duo, leaving Kairi flailing and spitting out water.

"Kairi, hold on!" the boy pulls her closer.

Her frightened blue eyes locked with his, "Sora! Sora, I..."

She was cut off by a crashing wave.

Sora opens his eyes for the umpteenth time, panicking when he feels no arms around his neck, and sees no red hair in front of him, "No...Kairi...Kairi?!" his eyes scanned the waters around him, _**"KAIRI!"**_

Another wave crashed.

Sora is pulled down under.

* * *

He opens his eyes under the water in a dazed state, aggressively waving his arms around him and trying to resurface. He can feel his body starting to tire and his mind going fuzzy as the ocean takes him deeper and deeper.

Suddenly, feeling sleepy, Sora stares off into the darkness, hearing millions of echoing voices in his head.

_"No..."_

_"I don't belong...in anyone's heart."_

_"The darkness...where did it come from?"_

_"No one would miss me."_

_"Is it that I'm not supposed to exist?"_

_"Sora..."_

Out of nowhere, there was a blonde boy, probably about 15. He was transparent, like a ghost, just looking straight at him. He had no expression whatsoever. Sora desperately wanted to call out to him, to reach out and cling onto him for dear life, but he knew it was useless. He wouldn't move anymore. Couldn't move anymore. The boy wondered why he was seeing these people-people he'd never met before.

But just who was this blonde boy in front of him, watching him sink to his death? Sora felt like he knew him-almost as much as he knew himself.

With no warning, he faded into nothingness, as if he was never there in the first place.

In his dazed state, a thought occurred.

What if they were people from his future?

In this predicament, Sora was sure he wasn't going to make it. He didn't even get why he was still alive, seeing people now. Or was he even alive? He didn't know. Maybe he was becoming delusional. Isn't that what happens when you're about to die?

Face after face came and went, but the only one that stuck was the blonde boy's.

So it came as a surprise to see him reappear again.

_'You...it's you again...'_ he spoke in his mind.

_"Again?"_ the boy cocked his head to the side, hearing his thoughts, _"That wasn't me. That must have been the part of you from the future."_

_'Part of...me?'_

And Sora realized that the second blonde had a somewhat lighter look and had different clothes on. But he looked exactly the same as the first.

_"You had so much in store in your future..."_ he said, sounding disappointed.

_'I...'_ Sora didn't know what to say, _'Wh-who are you anyway?'_

_"I'm someone who was going to be saved by you,"_ he said, _"But not anymore. You're dying. Now I can't wake up."_

_'W-wake up? What?'_

_"You were my only chance of coming back. You were my only chance to save my friends."_

Despite his confusion, Sora had to blink back tears. Why was he crying? He didn't know this boy or his friends. Yet his heart ached whenever he looked at the older boy.

For a while, they stared at each other, and like a dam had been opened, tears started overflowing the blonde boy's eyes.

_"You know, you saved me twice...and you just wanted to see what the world really was, just like me..." _the boy hastily wiped his tears, _"Even if I can't see my friends anymore...even if you let me down now...I can't say that I regret staying with you, Sora."_

Suddenly, the blue-eyed brunette was just a young child again, back when everything was normal and okay. The young Sora was crying, torn by guilt, _'I'm sorry...'_

The blonde bent down and ruffled his brown spikes, with a bittersweet smile, _"We'll meet again someday."_

With those words, both boys were engulfed with light.

The last thing Sora saw was Ven-_wait, who?-_reaching towards him to cover his eyes.

_"Thank you for everything, Sora…__**goodbye."**_

And then everything went black.


	2. Epilogue: Never Letting Go

**So I realized that a lot of people were asking for another chapter. I said this was a one-shot, but I made an exception. BUT THAT'S IT. No more chapters after this, got it guys? TWO-SHOT.**

**Summary: What if Sora, Riku and Kairi were able to leave the island? *Bonus: "I feel like I'm supposed to be helping someone." **

* * *

**_Unborn Journey_**

* * *

Aqua sat by the waters edge, wearily dusting sand off her legs.

She had no idea exactly how long she had been here, but it had to have been at least a few years. After all, her hair was already below her shoulders.

Once upon a time, she had had hope that one day someone would save her. But who? Terra? Ven?

Last time she saw Terra, he had silver hair and had fallen into the darkness. He was probably still fighting Xehanort for his body.

Last time she saw Ven, he was asleep in the castle she created, stuck without his heart. He probably felt pretty lonely in that little room.

And then there was herself. Trapped in a cold, dark abyss, where there was a large possibility that she would never get out.

Burying her head in her arms, Aqua let out a shaky sigh.

Hope just seemed like a silly thought now.

* * *

Ven's heart roamed through the darkness, alone.

If a light didn't show up soon, he would remain bodiless for who-knows-how-long. And eventually, in its broken state, his heart would fade, leaving nothing but an empty body. Or perhaps even that would fade away once his heart was gone. He really didn't know.

Sora's heart had been his home for ten years. Suddenly being forced out because of his host's sudden demise left Ven feeling more lost than before. Desperately searching for a new heart that would be willing to take in another was be difficult. Throughout his long search, not a single heart was willing to open and share its warmth with his. What Ven wouldn't give to have the warmth and protection of Sora's heart back. After all, he was one of a kind.

Maybe he could've helped him. He _should've_ helped him. Maybe he could've reached down further into the depths of Sora's heart and somehow given him the strength to push his way back up to the surface.

But he didn't. Couldn't. And because of that, the worlds had lost a very extraordinary boy.

Somewhere, far away, a tear rolled down Ven's sleeping face.

_"Hello? Is anyone there?"_

* * *

Not only had the worlds lost a boy like no other, but also a dear friend.

Riku and Kairi-whom had both miraculously survived on that fateful day...and had washed back up on the shores of Destiny Islands where they had set off- stood side-by-side on the same shore, not knowing what to say to each other. Sora was usually the one to fill in the silent gaps between them.

"Even after that day a year ago...you still want to leave?" Riku spoke sullenly, blowing his long bangs out of his eyes.

"Yeah," Kairi replied softy, "It still hurts...and it still terrifies me when I think about last time...but I have to do this."

"I won't let you," the silver-haired teen told her sadly, "After what happened to Sora...I can't let you go out there. You're not going out there alone."

"That's for me to decide, Riku," she climbed into her boat, "I'm doing this so Sora...and I...can rest in peace. We need to know what's out there."

Riku crossed his arms over his chest, "What else?"

"Huh?"

"What other reason is there for you to leave the Islands?"

Kairi hesitated, looking down at her shoes, "I...I've been having these weird thoughts lately...like, is any of this for real or not? If my whole life has a meaning, or if I have a bigger role out there in other worlds?" she placed her hand over her heart, "And I keep getting this feeling...that I'm supposed to be helping someone."

"Maybe you are," Riku considered, "You've always been helping others, and there's always been this...warmth around you."

"Well, warm or not, I'm still going."

"Without me?"

The girl immediately looked up, straight into his eyes.

"I said that you wouldn't be going out there alone. If...you really want to go," the male ran a hand through his long hair, "Then...let me have today to prepare, and we can leave tomorrow morning. We can take our boats and split the supplies."

Her gaze softened, "Thank you, Riku."

* * *

That night had almost felt surreal, as if it was just a dream, but Kairi remembered every detail of it. Like how she had walked all the way to the edge of the island at 2am since she couldn't sleep, and how she kept having this aching feeling in her chest.

Laying her hand over her heart, she looked up to the sky, wondering where time had gone. A year ago, she had been speaking with Sora, and giggling at his antics. Now, she was here, alone. She hadn't truly smiled since the day they took off on the raft.

Would Sora really want this? For her and Riku to risk their lives out on the sea once again? Or would he rather have them safe on the Islands for the rest of their lives?

She desperately wanted to ask him, but knowing she would get no answer, she closed her eyes, her face to the stars, hoping she would find her answers there.

Next thing she knew it, she found herself on a pink platform, with her body as its main focus. Confused, Kairi spent a moment gazing at the mural beneath her feet.

Sora's face was in a bubble, at the top of the whole image, followed by Riku's. Below them, were a few silhouettes that she couldn't make out. There also seemed to be several hearts surrounding the platform.

_"Hello? Is anyone there?"_ she wondered, looking around.

As if answering her call, a bright light appeared, descending down towards her.

A young male voice, sounding awfully sad, echoed throughout the dark above her, "I heard your voice. It cut through the darkness around me. Just like...his voice."

Kairi glanced upwards in awe, lifting her hands to cradle the ball of light, "Who...or what...are you?"

"I'm a heart that's wandered through the darkness for a long time...I've been put to sleep, and...there's really nothing I can do except look for a place to stay until I wake."

Although not fully understanding, the girl nodded to herself. Maybe he was the person he was supposed to help, "Would you like to stay with me?"

"Are you sure?" the light responded back quickly in disbelief, "My heart's been broken...I don't know if you'll be able to handle it. The last person I was with...he had enough light in his heart to share with me. Will you be able to share some too?"

Kairi mulled it over, remembering how people always told her how bright and kind-hearted she was. That had to count for something, right? And this boy...he was obviously in a lot of pain. What would Sora have done?

She inwardly laughed. What a silly question.

"I think I have more than enough light to share."

Letting out what she assumed was a sigh of relief, the light floated towards her chest, "Thank you." The light gleamed before completely fading into the girl's heart.

Almost immediately, Kairi felt her spirits getting lifted. She felt a presence she never thought she would feel ever again.

Somehow, Sora and this new heart inside her had been once connected.

Through this heart within her, she could feel Sora.

And she was never letting go of him again.

* * *

**So here's basically what happened, to those who got confused.**

**-Sora, Riku and Kairi set off on the raft.**

**-Sora dies after being pulled under during the storm.**

**-Riku and Kairi survive and wash back up on the islands.**

**-A year after, Kairi decides to set out again, along with Riku.**

**-At the same time, Aqua is still trapped in the Realm of Darkness, and Ven's heart wanders, searching for a new heart to take him in.**

**-Ven's heart encounters Kairi's, and Kairi accepts him into her heart.**

**Everything in Birth by Sleep remains unchanged, but everything goes on in KH1 without Sora, Riku or Kairi. Maleficent and Ansem still carry out their plans, Mickey still roams the worlds, and Goofy and Donald are still searching for the Key. But what happened to the worlds in that whole year? What happens after Riku and Kairi set out once again? That's up for you to decide.**

**Thank you for reading.**


End file.
